Logistics firm to open tech hub in Corktown, add 350 jobs

A third-party logistics provider will expand its Chicago-based operations in Corktown this year, Bedrock announced Thursday.

Coyote Logistics, a UPS Inc. company, will create a tech hub as the anchor tenant in Bedrock’s 160,000-square-foot building, The Assembly, at 1700 W. Fort St. 

The company expects to employ 500, including 350 new positions. It will move from its Ann Arbor office to the five-story former warehouse in the third quarter of this year.

“Detroit’s growing reputation as the Midwest’s hub for technology and innovation was a huge draw as we looked to expand Coyote’s operations,” John Perkovich, a vice president at Coyote, said in a statement. “As we continue to raise the bar in the logistics industry, we are proud to be doing so alongside so many other companies in Detroit who are leaders in their industries.”

Coyote offices will occupy 58,000 square feet on the second and third floors. The building also has about 7,800 square feet of retail and 32 apartments.

Details of the deal were not immediately known, but in October, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. had granted Coyote a $1.5 million grant to expand and create 300 new jobs. The company at that time said it was planning a $3.6 million capital investment in Corktown.

Bill Emerson, CEO of Bedrock, said Coyote is an addition to Detroit’s tech community, which includes Microsoft, Twitter, LinkedIn, Amazon, WeWork, Snapchat, StockX, Google and Autobooks.

“Coyote’s decision to choose Detroit for their tech hub will result in 500 new economy jobs in Corktown, 350 of them being new hires, once again helping to continue the momentum of economic growth in the Motor City,” Emerson said.

Coyote uses technology to match more than 10,000 shipments every day across a 50,000-plus carrier network. It became a UPS company in 2015.

cwilliams@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CWilliams_DN

Detroit News Staff Writer Breana Noble contributed.